clean carpets

carpets take forever to dry.................

even when they are professionally cleaned & you live someplace with extremely low humidity

so we are walking on damp flooring...............not wanting to move any of our predominantly wooden furniture back onto damp carpet...........

we did decide that if this doesn't really clean the carpet of the pet-mess smell, then it will come out......piece by piece & we'll do the following:
1> paint the cement flooring
2> tile the floors
3> wood laminate
or 4> some combination of the above

this house is a bit older & the carpet had been here thru a renter or 2 (at least that's what we were told when we bought it) and that can generate areas where the current resident pets feel obligated to mark the turf as theirs...........................unfortunately that is all too often in the main living areas................

carpet will remain clean or be removed...............

and the cleaner guy (bless his heart) commented that taking out ALL the carpet in the house would be way too big a job.................

LOL...............oh my --- he's never seen me at that kind of work but my hubby has & did that comment make him laugh......

so off to watch the carpets dry & dream of hardwood laminate, tile & brightly painted flooring......................

company.........

company is coming.............

they are making lists of places to visit
things to see
foods to eat

this is going to be a good visit

it's only for a long weekend so we'll see just how much we pack in to do & enjoy

the company all by themselves will be wonderful
no matter where we go or what we see

dad's day

My dad has taught me many things....................

..........how to think & discuss those thoughts clearly
mind you it was taught by discussion of topics that we didn't agree on

........how to look at the bigger picture & our place in it
we are but a speck of time, and how we live (or don't) won't have much (if any) impact on that very big cosmic picture, but it does have immediate and lasting effect on those around us whom we love

............how to consider the other side and to think before speaking
that now might be something that causes me to pause for a bit too long in heated or urgent discussions, but when I do speak out now, it is more well formed & expressed because I did Think First

..........how to be happy in the Now
for that is really all we have. Right Now, this moment in time, and how we live it can make a wonderful memory, have a positive influence on those around us or be a blip that is unnoticed (which is a sad way to live)

............how to look around & explore where we are
adventure in the everyday places, we used to take longish drives once a week to see what there was to see around the area where we lived..............each week a new place & that is something that I continue to do no matter where I am...............

so as the song says...............Stand in the place that you live................that is something else my dad taught me

for all those things & so many more.............
Thanks Dad
& Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's day....... 

sunshine and dust devils

it is summer ........
well nearly - June 21st is the solstice this year
and the weather is warm
the sun is shining
and the wind is making afternoon dust devils
they appear and fade like djinn

and as long as you are well away from them, they are marvels to watch
upclose, well, they can move your car very easily, or you, or your dog

respect is key here................dust devils are not to be fooled with

but they do make wonerful summer wind watching

purple

purple is an intersting color

one of my favorites.................mostly

I say mostly because there are some things that should NOT EVER be purple.......................like the inside of one's mouth............
but that is the thing that happens when one has had little bits of one's gum peeled out for grafting elsewhere in one's mouth

if only I could get a decent pic of this............it's almost Dali-ish in appearance.................but then that's just too much information I suppose

at least it doens't hurt as much as yesterday ........... and the only very soft foods are kind of fun (at least right now) like:
jello......haven't had jello in years
sherbert..............also a treat I've not had for years
mac & cheese with chopped spinach or tuna (those were staples when I was growing up)
tuna noodle casserole............
mashed potatoes, with lots of butter & melted cheese
or maybe even twice baked.....those innards are yummy soft
pasta.....lots & lots of pasta with cream sauce

altho I do suspect that by the end of 2 weeks this is going to be very old......for now it's like being a kid again.......soft comfort foods abound.................and the kitchen is getting a workout

Anne Bancroft 1931-2005

and here's to you Mrs Robinson, you were never ordinary.

"Film critics said I gave a voice to the fear we all have: that we'll reach a certain point in our lives, look around and realize that all the things we said we'd do and become will never come to be -- and that we're ordinary." http://tinyurl.com/75jlg

teeth

so today I had gum surgery.......................it hurts, it's swollen, I have a freak'nstien smile

but I will be able to keep my teeth

they are important to me, my teeth that is...............

I had years of braces and in the process many teeth got pulled
because
much to the amazement of many of my friends
my mouth was too small

it is still small
the voice I have is large but the mouth isn't

and the teeth that remain I'd like to keep

it's simple really
at least to me.............. I'd like to be in my all when spirit calls me home
and that means I do have to work to keep my teeth

other parts have been removed as health became an issue..........that will happen as we age it seems.................but my teeth, my smile, my small mouth with the large voice, those I'd like to keep

goddess reclining 

when we find spirit

and I do not mean that thing we all had to proclaim at pep rallies in school......but the deep abiding love that is the source of all life
.....you know, Spirit

when we find & connect to spirit (no matter what belief system you use), we become an active part of something so much bigger than ourselves, so much better than the physical being we live in day-to-day

we become an active, integrated part of the Whole
a part of Life
a piece of god

we always have the copasicty for this connection, but we get caught up in the thoughts of day-to-day living and often need a reminder

I think it was in Grosse Pointe Blank (a really good little film by the way) where a conversation takes place that fits what today was for me:

Debi: Shakabuku.
Marty: You wanna tell me what that means?
Debi: It's a swift, spiritual kick to the head that alters your reality forever.

that's what I got today
by spending some time connecting with Spirit
I hope it holds..................I really don't want more than one or 2 of those in this lifetime

what a great way to approach life.........

Twenty-Four Brand-New Hours
Every morning, when we wake up, we have twenty-four brand-new hours to live. What a precious gift! We have the capacity to live in a way that these twenty-four hours will bring peace, joy, and happiness to ourselves and others. < http://www.thedailylama.com/Lib/007.html >

now how do we translate that into everyday actions & affairs?
that might be the hard part.....unless we live fully conscious

now how do I do that...................how does anyone?

personally here is what I do....................
I clean my space.....less clutter means less around to bog my mind down in the morass of mess

I also try to sleep well .........lately that has been a challenge & we'll see how that shakes out in the next week

excercise.......well I've been having a walk, it's not much but I'm moving

sunshine.....there was a report last year that indicated that we need at least 20 minuts of good sunshine (no sunblock allowed for full benefit) each day for better emotional, mental & physical health, so I'm sitting in the sunshine for a while every day..................

water.........drink more, wash self daily (and I bought a snap pool.................so I'll be soaking up the sunshine this weekend on a floaty in the kiddie pool in my backyard..pretending that I'm on a beach somewhere)

meditation...........see floaty thing above......that is meditation (of a sort)

talk to family & friends..................often.................keep the lines open for good communitcation, doesn't need to be BIG talks, just daily stuff is imprtant to share as well, it keeps us connected

and that's what I try to do to live consciously

peace